Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 67982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“You are naïve,” I tell her adamantly. “You seriously can’t see this as a ploy? That he wants something more from you?”
“I don’t get why you’d think that.” And to her credit, she looks genuinely perplexed.
“Hello,” I say sarcastically as I point to the offensive object. “Cute teddy bear with a ribbon and a heart.”
While my insides rage, Josie’s face softens and her smile becomes knowing. She reaches out and takes my hands in hers, squeezing them. “Want me to throw it away?”
Fuck yes!
“No,” I grumble, because that’s the right thing to say.
“Because I will,” she says sweetly. “If it bothers you that much.”
“No,” I grumble again.
“Reed.” The way she calls my attention to her so softly, I can’t help but listen. “I don’t want Aiden. I’m here with you. Doesn’t matter what his intention was, what matters is how I accepted it. And I chose to think of it as a gift from a friend.”
I sigh and stretch my body out on top of hers. With my arms pressed into the mattress at her side, I look down on her and admit, “This is different for me.”
“Don’t let it be,” she says softly. Her eyes are warm and deeply accepting of my insecurity.
“You have a lot of history with this guy. I don’t think he wants to be just friends with you. But I also trust you, Josie, and I know you’re not going to play with me.”
“No, I’d never do that,” she agrees gently. “But what I had with Aiden is just that. History. I’m in the present with you.”
I smile sheepishly, but I don’t need to discuss this further. Her words are enough, and I have more important things I’d rather be doing right now.
So I put my mouth on hers and forget all about that stupid, fucking teddy bear and the guy who gave it to her.
Chapter 18
Josie
I hover over the computer, flipping through the patient’s online chart. He presented with a complicated history of congestive heart failure and an aortic valve replacement, yet I don’t think the shortness of breath is from that. The blue tinge to his lips leads me to believe this is his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is flaring up, so I write an order for a pulmonary function test.
A burst of laughter sounds from behind me and I turn in my chair to see Aiden and Kevin laughing about something on Kevin’s phone. No clue what’s so funny, although I kind of want to know. Reminds me of the days when we were all in residency together and we got by with a whole lot of laughter to combat the stress.
It’s been interesting having Aiden working at the hospital with us. He was always the most levelheaded and steady of our group, and he’s even more so now. He doesn’t seem to be stressed about anything, even during some seriously intense medical situations that come through the emergency department. I suppose when you’re working on people with others shooting at you and shelling your building, your hand gets a little steadier in normal circumstances. Frankly, it really makes me admire him, and I realize something good came out of him leaving me.
It made him into an immensely superb doctor, and I’d like to think the countless lives he’s saved was a fair exchange for a broken heart. Of course, I suppose it’s easier for me to feel that way now that I’ve moved on and have Reed in my life.
“Josie…come see this,” Aiden calls out to me from across the hub.
The hub is the circular area set in the middle of the emergency department with curtained rooms around the perimeter. There are several workstations, desks and computers for the nurses and doctors to work on between patients.
I log off my screen, check my watch, and note I can spare thirty seconds. I walk over to where Aiden and Kevin are staring at Kevin’s phone. When I reach them, Kevin holds the phone out so I can see the screen. It’s a YouTube compilation of people passing out during various medical procedures.
I watch as person after person faints.
A medical student during an autopsy.
A father as his son’s broken bone is set.
A nurse during a surgery who is totally ignored as the surgery carries on.
They’re funny and they make me laugh, Kevin and Aiden joining right in again. I’ve had moments myself when I’ve been overwhelmed by something, but my legs have always held true. One of the nurses steps up and peers over my shoulder at the screen.
“Bet you saw some gruesome shit over in Yemen, right?” Kevin asks Aiden with a nudge to his arm.
I glance up in time to see the laugh and smile slide right of Aiden’s face, and my stomach knots. His voice is low and gruff. “Some really bad stuff.”